ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Magistrate Dane Hamilton has called for an investigation after Antigua’s Immigration Department deported a Jamaican who has a matter pending before the court.

Raheem Thomas and Yakeem Scott are facing multiple charges including possession of cannabis, but when the matter came up  before the court, it was revealed that Scott was no longer in the country.

The duo face charges of possession of 10 pounds of cannabis, possession with intent to transfer, importation of the class B drug, forging a bill of lading and uttering.

It is alleged that they attempted to smuggle the drugs through the port. After being arrested and charged, the duo was taken before the court and were granted bail in the sum of EC$80,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) with a number of conditions including surrendering their travel documents and reporting to the nearest police station.

The Immigration Department was also notified due to the fact that Scott is Jamaican.

Immigration officer Gregson Gardner, who appeared in court on behalf of the chief immigration officer, told Magistrate Hamilton that Scott was processed by an immigration officer but he was not in possession of a passport. Scott reportedly told the officer that he was a Jamaican.

Gardner said that the detainee was given an option to go before the court and be deported from the country or to leave voluntarily, which he opted to do. Reportedly Scott’s ticket was purchased and he left the same day — August 25. Records show that Scott was the holder of a valid work permit.

Gardner told the court that the error was brought only to the attention of the Immigration Department the day before the matter was set to be heard.

The prosecution said that the information should not have come from Gardner but from the head of the Immigration Department.

Referring to Scott’s voluntary removal as a contempt of court, the prosecutor said that the chief immigration officer should have been in court to answer questions.

Magistrate Hamilton said Scott had left the island for Barbados to get his visa, but had returned. He said the court was awaiting the return of the travel document, which he noted was in the possession of Scott’s lawyer Charlesworth Tabor.

The passport should have been returned to the court on or before May 21, but this was apparently not done. Tabor is expected before the court on Wednesday to address that issue.

The magistrate said that it was difficult to be told that someone left the country’s borders because of a spelling error.

A bench warrant has been issued for Scott and the authorities have been advised to get assistance from officials in Jamaica to locate Scott as the prosecution’s case could be in jeopardy.